Monday, February 22, 2016

More $ = gradual increases in the relative achievement of students in low-income school districts

This study reviews the impact of post-1990 school finance reforms, during the
so-called "adequacy" era, on gaps in spending and achievement between
high-income and low-income school districts.
The authors find that reform events--court orders and legislative
reforms--lead to sharp, immediate, and sustained increases in absolute
and relative spending in low-income school districts.

Using
representative samples from the National Assessment of Educational
Progress, they conclude that reforms cause gradual increases in the
relative achievement of students in low-income school districts,
consistent with the goal of improving educational opportunity for these
students. The implied effect of school resources on educational
achievement is large.